Multiplayer video games have exploded in popularity due, in part, to services such as Microsoft's Xbox LIVE® and Sony's PlayStation Network® which enable gamers all over the world to play with or against one another. Generally, a multiplayer video game is a video game in which two or more players play in a gameplay session in a cooperative or adversarial relationship. At least one of the players may comprise a human player, while one or more other players may comprise either non-player characters and/or other human players.
Typically, when a player logs in to a game system or platform to play a multiplayer video game, the player may engage in a gameplay session in which he or she is matched with other players to play together (on the same team or as opponents). A given player may engage in multiple gameplay sessions during a login session. In addition, each gameplay session may be played with either the same or a different group of matched players.
Conventionally, when interested in playing in a group with other players, an individual player may ask friends to form a player group, may ask other players who are of the same skill level to form a player group, and/or may otherwise form a group by sending invitations to other players.
Some systems may automatically group or match players based solely on a limited number of hard-coded characteristics (e.g., skill level), which are not dynamically adjusted. Such systems may create a hard set of segregated pools of players. For example, in some conventional systems, a player who is at a certain skill level may never be matched with a player at a higher skill level, which may result in one dimensional and unsatisfying gameplay.
Furthermore, conventional systems fail to assess a quality of gameplay used to tune matchmaking processes to optimize player combinations. Conventional systems also fail to reserve gameplay sessions for players in a way that minimizes the time that a player must wait to be matched. Conventional systems further fail to leverage matchmaking processes in other contexts, such as influencing game-related purchases, suggesting group formations, training/identifying non-player characters, and/or otherwise extending the use of the matchmaking process. These and other drawbacks exist with current matchmaking processes utilized in multiplayer video games.